1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector for electrically and mechanically connecting wiring harnesses, having a connector shell provided with a terminal conductor detaining mechanism for restraining terminal conductors from slipping out of the connector shell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electric connector, in general, has a connector shell provided with a terminal conductor detaining mechanism for detaining terminal conductors inserted in the terminal chamber of the connector shell to restrain the terminal conductors from slipping out of the terminal chamber. Such a terminal conductor detaining mechanism comprises flexible detaining members formed integrally with the connector shell on the inner surface of the connector shell within the terminal chamber so as to engage terminal conductors inserted in the terminal chamber to restrain the terminal conductors from slipping out of the terminal chamber. A recently proposed electric connector incorporates a terminal conductor detaining mechanism comprising a terminal detaining member inserted in the connector shell of the electric connector from behind the connector shell to restrain terminal conductors inserted in a terminal chamber formed in the connector shell in cooperation with or instead of the flexible detaining members formed on the inner surface of the connector shell.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a conventional electric connector provided with such a terminal conductor detaining mechanism. Auxiliary stoppers b are formed on the outer surface of a connector shell a near the rear end of the same, and main stoppers c are formed on the outer surface of a connector shell a in front of the auxiliary stoppers b. A terminal detaining member d having catching tongues e is put on the rear portion of the connector shell a with the catching tongues e in engagement with the auxiliary stoppers b to connect the terminal detaining member d temporarily to the connector shell a. Then, terminal conductors g connected to the extremities of wires are inserted through the body f of the terminal detaining member d in terminal chambers h formed in the connector shell a as shown in FIG. 8. Terminal detaining tongues i are formed in the inner surface of the body f of the terminal detaining member d. In a state as shown in FIG. 8, in which the terminal detaining member d is connected temporarily to the connector shell a, the terminal detaining tongues i are located outside the passage of the terminal conductors g. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the terminal detaining member d is pressed to the front so that the catching tongues e engage the main stoppers c to connect the terminal detaining member d securely to the connector shell a as shown in FIG. 9. In a state shown in FIG. 9, the detaining tongues i are bent toward the terminal conductors g by taper surfaces j formed in the inner surface of the connector shell a so that the tips i.sub.1 of the detaining tongues i engage the terminal conductors g to detain the terminal conductors g in place.
This terminal conductor detaining mechanism, however, has a disadvantage that the terminal detaining member d temporarily connected to the connector shell a may be pressed accidentally to its locking position on the connector shell a by an external force and the detaining member d may be connected firmly to the connector shell a before the terminal conductors g are inserted in the terminal chambers h.